Tilting diffusing plate



Aug. 20, 1940. R. G. FERRIS TILTING DIFFUSING PLATE Filed Feb. 11, 1939 E l 'V Patented Aug. 20, 1940 FECE TILTING D'IFFUSING PLATE- Robert G. Ferris, Harvard, Ill.-, assignor to Starline Inc., Harvard, 111., a; corporation of Illinois Application February 11, 1939, serial No. 255,945

3 Claims. (01. 98-41) This invention relates to stable ventilation sys-- terns and particularly to means for introducing fresh air into stables without the creation of cold A spots and dangerous drafts. When outtake fiues take damp foul air out o the stable, it must be replaced with fresh air from outside. It is not impossibleto bring in fresh air throughwindows, doors and irregular openings, but it. is'dangerous to do that, especially in coldweather. It not only creates drafts, but

leaves certain spots in the stable unventilated.

An object of this invention is to provide a simple and efficient means for spreading or diffusing the stream of incoming cold air and distributing this in various directions and propor- These and other objects as will hereinafter ap-: pear are accomplished by this invention which is fully described in the following specification and shown in the accompanying drawing in which- Figure 1 is a partial section through an air intake passage with my diffusing plate at the discharge opening into the stable;

Fig. 2 is a partial vertical section on the line 1 22 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a horizontal view on the line 33 of Fig. 2. Y

The embodiment of the invention is illustrated in connection with a stable having an exterior wall 10, and an elevated floor H with joists 12 between which is located an inlet air passage l3 4()-=-Whi0h communicates at one end through an opening M in the stable wall with an intake control box I5 which has a series of slots It for the intake of air and a control plate I? which moves under the action of Wind pressure on the 45 side of the building to prevent a too rapid rush of cold air into the stable. This, however, forms no part of the present invention and is not shown or described in detail. At the inner or discharge end of the air pas- 50 sage is an end closure !8 and a discharge opening 19 into the stable. The lower side of the passage is formed by ceiling boards or the like 20 and a layer of suitable heat insulating material 2! is placed inside the ceiling to prevent the 55 boards at the bottom of the air passage from being chilled by the cold incoming air to a point where moisture will condense on them from the warmmoist air in the stable.

This invention relates to the control and diffusion of fresh cold air through the opening l9. 5' To do this I mount a plate Zit preferably circular upon the lowerend of a support as shown in detail in Fig. 2. This comprises a tube 23 to which is secured nearone end a flanged base 24 as by welding, brazing or soldering while a nut 10 25 is similarly secured to the other endand in alignment therewith. A screw 2% is screwed through the nut after which the upper end is .burred or riveted over so as to prevent the screw from being thereafter disconnected from the nut. The lower end of the screwhas a ball or spherical head 28 upon the upper surface of which is supported a plate 29having a central aperture 3! The head is frictionally held between the edge of the aperture 3il'a'nd a friction plate 3| by means of bolts 32 which pass through the diffusing plate 20 and serve also to secure the apertured plate and friction plate thereto. The upper end of thetube 23 is closed by a stopper 33 or the like to prevent dirt andmoisture from entering. The diffusing plate 28 is preferably made of an insulating material like Celotex which 7 the plate can be-raisedso as to cover the opening [9 and substantially prevent the ingress of fresh air. When lowered, as it ordinarily is in use, it can be tilted in any direction to distribute the fresh air as desired thereby preventing cold spots on the'one hand or poor ventilation on the other. The use of a round plate contributes toward this result by spreading or dififusing the cold air more uniformly'on all sides.

While I have shown and described but a single embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that it is capable of many modifications. Changes, therefore, in the construction and arrangement may be made which do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention as disclosed in the appended claims.

lower surface of the ball and with the difiusing plate, an apertured plate bearing upon the ball upper surface, and means interconnecting the diffusing plate, friction plate and apertured plate adaptedto maintain the two latter against the ball with sufficient friction to sustain the diffusing plate in any selected adjusted tilted position relative to the discharge opening and to transmit from the difiusing plate to the ball engaging plates a rotary force for vertical adjustment of the screw means whereby to sustain the diffusing plate at a desired elevation.

2. For use with a barn ventilating system having an intake passage provided with a downwardly facing circular discharge opening, a diffusing plate below the opening, and means for adjustably supporting the plate comprising a nut having a fixed co-axial mounting relative to the discharge opening, a vertical screw passing through the nut and cooperating with the threads thereof for adjustable support therefrom, a universal joint comprising a ball at the lower screw end, an apertured plate bearing upon the ball upperrsurface, a second plate adapted to bear against the ball lower surface and in contact with the upper surface of the diffusing plate, and

screw means interconnecting the diffusing plate and both ball engaging plates adapted, when tightened, to enhance the frictional engagement 1 at the universal joint sufiiciently to sustain the diffusing plate in any selected adjusted tilting position relative to the discharge opening and to transmit from the diffusing plate to the ball engaging plates a rotaryforcefor vertical adjustment of the screw whereby to sustain the diffusing plate at a desired elevation.

3. In a ventilation system for stables, an intake air passage leading to an elevated point in the interiorof a stable, said passage having an open ing on its lower side for the discharge of air into the stable, a diffusing plate disposed beneath the with the lower rounded surface of the head and with the diffusing plate, an apertured plate bearing upon the upper rounded, surface of the head, and means interconnecting the diffusing .plate, friction plate and apertured plate adapted-"to maintain the two latter against opposite rounded surfaces of the head withsufiicient friction to sustain the diffusing plate in any selected adjusted tilted position about a horizontal axis and to transmit from the diffusing plate to the head engaging plates a rotary force for vertical adjustment of the screw means whereby to I sustain the diffusing plate at a desired elevation.

ROBERT G. FERRIS. 

